Sweet apple treats

Fall offers us plenty of delicious fruits. Sure, an apple a day keeps the doctor away, but who says apples have to be boring? Here are some tasty ways to turn apples into treats this fall without overloading on sugar and calories.

Apple chips

Instead of reaching for a bag of potato chips for your afternoon snack, try apple chips. Peel, core and slice a few apples (as many chips as you want) into thin slices, and lay them flat onto a baking sheet. Sprinkle them with 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg and, if you’d like them to be extra sweet, 1 tablespoon of sugar (or sweetener for less calories) for each apple you slice. Bake the apple slices at 250 degrees F for 45 minutes. Flip the slices, and bake for another 30 minutes. Allow them to cool, and enjoy!

Apple and brie grilled cheese sandwich

Brie, a delicious soft cheese, takes on a creamy texture in this quick take on the grilled cheese sandwich. Depending on how many sandwiches you want to make, slice apples into thin pieces, and line some up on one slice of multi-grain or whole wheat bread. Spread a few pieces of brie on the other slice of bread, and combine the two. Spread butter or margarine as you would when you make a regular grilled cheese sandwich, and grill on medium heat until the cheese is melted.

Baked apple dessert

Turn your apple into something as delicious as a molten lava cake by coring each apple, leaving the bottoms intact. For each apple, mix 1 tablespoon of brown sugar (or sweetener for less calories), ground walnuts, 1/2 teaspoon of ground nutmeg, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, raisins or any dried fruits you like and 1 tablespoon of softened butter or margarine. Stuff the apples with this mixture, place them on a baking sheet, and bake for 40 minutes at 350 degrees F or until apples are soft. To do this even faster, place apples in a deep-dish that is microwave safe, and cook for 5–7 minutes or until the apples are soft. Let the apples cool for a few minutes before serving. For an extra treat, serve with some vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

Oatmeal apple breakfast

Similar to the baked apple dessert recipe above, this recipe lets you have breakfast in your apple! Core each apple, but leave the bottoms intact. For each apple, mix 1 tablespoon of brown sugar (or sweetener for less calories), ground walnuts, 1/2 teaspoon of ground nutmeg, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, preferred dried fruits and 1/2 cup of 1-minute quick-cook oats. Following the microwave instructions for the oats, place the mixture and water in the microwave. Once the oatmeal is cooked, spoon it into each apple. Dollop 1/2 tablespoon of margarine or butter on the top of each apple, covering the oatmeal. Place the apples on a baking sheet, and bake for 40 minutes at 350 degrees F or until apples are soft. Let the apples cool for a few minutes before serving. For an extra treat, serve with some vanilla yogourt or whipped cream

Apples and peanut butter

For a quick, no-cooking-needed, healthy snack, core and slice apples into about six pieces or wedges. Dollop natural peanut butter next to the apples, and sprinkle some cinnamon on the peanut butter. The peanut butter serves as dip to your apple wedges. For a more decadent treat, replace the peanut butter and cinnamon with melted 60 per cent dark chocolate!